Big price for tiny Pearl Jam fan
BY BECK ELEVEN
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Baby Lamont Harper Davidson may be the smallest Pearl Jam fan – but his parents have had to pay a sizeable price to get their son into a Christchurch concert.
Being a breastfed baby, three-month-old Lamont accompanied parents Melanie and Andrew Davidson to the Pearl Jam concert on Sunday night.
The Methven couple, who had tickets to a corporate box, assumed their baby could enter AMI Stadium for free.
However, on reaching the ticket gate, they were told Lamont would have to buy a $121 concert ticket.
Melanie Davidson said they had decided to take their son because they were in the warmth and comfort of a corporate box, with protection from the noise.
Moments before being stopped at the gate, the Davidsons were "elated" to catch a glimpse of support act Ben Harper, after whom their baby was named.
They were told they would either have to leave or buy their son a ticket, a process that cost them $121 and meant they missed Harper's first four songs.
Vbase chief executive Bryan Pearson said the "no ticket, no entry" stance had been a one-off mistake.
"Unfortunately, when you're making a myriad of calls on the night, the appropriate decisions and steps aren't always taken, and this time we made a mistake," he said.
"We had other people in the audience that night with infants, and they didn't have to buy tickets."
The cost of the baby's ticket would be refunded and Pearson offered the Davidsons tickets to another show of their choice.
And what did baby Lamont think of his first concert?
"He slept through most of it. I don't think he got his $121 worth," Melanie Davidson said.
TROUBLE MAKERS KEEP POLICE BUSY
Alcohol was restricted to the 30,000 Pearl Jam fans at the Christchurch concert after four people were arrested and 25 ejected for bad behaviour.
Police and security staff at AMI Stadium also issued "countless" warnings during the Sunday night concert, Inspector Doug Parker said yesterday.
Alcohol was thought to be the major factor behind the trouble, he said.
Parker was disappointed with the troublemakers. "I would not have expected that many."
He said there were enough staff at the ground.
A private security firm was also working.
Parker said the four people arrested were likely to face charges for disorderly behaviour or similar offences. Fans walking to the stadium were seen drinking, but the amount they could buy inside was reduced at 8.30pm when security and police became concerned at the potential for trouble.
There were no reports of trouble in the city after the concert finished about 11.15pm.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Good on this family for realising that babies are best kept with their mumma's breasts and that mummas still need to get out and be treated like people. If only our society geared itself toward allowing mummas to have a social life and be mummas at the same time we might have better breastfeeding and lower PND rates.
FRED #50.... Not sure how much second hand weed smokes gonna get into a corporate box? Next time it would do ya good to read the article before you comment. Goooo the rockin baby!
This is a "make a story out of nothing" story. Problem resolved. Next please.
What great parents hope you dont have any more kids
No offence but to all the 'oldies' who thinks that taking a child to a concert is a bad thing... its happened before - many parents do it. Agreed, time and place - they were in a corporate box - not excatly in the Mosh Pitt!! This isnt a new thing. Gwyneth Paltrow took her child Apple to her husbands concert - she wore earmuffs - same with Katie Holmes - she took hers to a Britney Spears concert - with Earmuffs... you dont know all the facts.. its quite possible that very baby wore earmuffs... Parents of the 21st century have learned to adapt, have children and have a life. It can be done. Just like men now no where the kitchen is....
They should have left him at home, drawing pictures, of mountain tops, with him on top, lemon yellow sun...
;)
The thing that annoys me most about this is not that they took a baby to a concert - if you want to ruin your kids hearing whatever - but the fact that they didn't think about any other concert goers who don't want to hear a baby crying while thousands of people sing betterman acapella or while Eddy is addressing the crowd or at any time during the entire concert(incl other parents who had the sense to leave their kids at home for a night out). Parent's are far too selfish nowadays and expect the world to welcome their "little bundle of joy" anywhere they go! Not every situation is a suitable one to bring a baby to.
Re: Jarren Burns #52
When was this ever about a baby's right to attend a rock concert?
Well Mel and Andrew, we all know what leads after 'assuming' something. and in this case your lucky, $121 cheap!
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elkano #64 great comment from a great song!!!!!!